Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the thing: A Little Princess has all the right ingredients—resilience, imagination, kindness triumphing over cruelty. The messages are genuinely beautiful and the themes are rich.

But let's be honest: this 1995 film (the listing says 1996 but it's actually '95) is rough for modern kids. The pacing is slow, the production feels dated, and that IMDb 6.4 is telling you something. This isn't the magical 1939 Shirley Temple version or even a modern reimagining—it's caught in that awkward '90s period drama zone.

If your kid already loves Anne of Green Gables or Little Women adaptations, they might connect with it. But if you're hoping to introduce themes of resilience and imagination, you're honestly better off with more engaging modern options. The emotional weight of orphanhood and child mistreatment is real, and asking kids to sit through slow Victorian drama to get to the payoff is a big ask in 2025.

It's not bad, it's just... hard to recommend when there are so many better options that deliver similar messages without requiring a patience most kids don't have.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media's age 7+ feels right for the emotional content, but realistically this plays best for 8-10 year olds who already like slower, emotional stories. Teens and adults will likely find it dated and dull unless they have nostalgia for period dramas.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

88

Classic story of resilience, kindness, and hope in adversity. Sarah maintains her noble spirit despite cruel treatment, models empathy and generosity to fellow orphans, and demonstrates emotional strength. The narrative centers on friendship, imagination as coping mechanism, and maintaining dignity under hardship—all emotionally healthy themes for children.

Imaginative

92

The film's core conceit is imagination as survival tool—Sarah tells magical stories to cope with harsh reality, blurring lines between fantasy and real life. Rich visual storytelling with fantasy sequences, period setting, and emphasis on storytelling itself. Encourages creative thinking and the power of narrative to transform difficult circumstances.

Safe

72

Common Sense Media rates it age 7, suggesting some emotional intensity. The premise involves orphanhood, presumed parental death, cruel treatment by adults (psychological abuse from headmistress), and child labor/servitude. No violence, gore, or inappropriate content, but the emotional themes of loss, mistreatment, and poverty could be distressing for sensitive younger viewers. The 'happy ending' quest structure provides resolution.

Enriching

85

Strong themes of perseverance, empathy, class consciousness, and inner nobility regardless of circumstances. Teaches resilience in face of injustice, importance of kindness to others, and that material wealth doesn't define worth. Literary adaptation encourages interest in classic children's literature. However, the Victorian-era setting and slower pacing may limit engagement for modern audiences.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Powerful message about maintaining dignity and kindness even when life is brutally unfair
Celebrates imagination and storytelling as tools for resilience and hope
Strong female protagonist who faces real hardship with courage and grace
Introduces kids to classic literature and period drama in accessible format
Explores empathy across class lines and the arbitrary nature of privilege

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What to Watch For

The whole movie is about a child being orphaned, mistreated by cruel adults, and forced into servitude—it's emotionally heavy
Slow pacing and period setting will lose a lot of modern kids who are used to faster storytelling
Some scenes of psychological cruelty toward children may be upsetting
The IMDb 6.4 rating suggests even adults find it just okay—this isn't the beloved Alfonso Cuarón version

Conversation Starters

"How did Sarah stay kind even when Miss Minchin was so mean to her?"
"Why do you think Sarah told stories to the other girls? How did it help them?"
"What would you do if you suddenly lost everything like Sarah did?"
"Do you think being rich or poor changes who someone really is inside?"

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